Improved abdominal suppoktee



@uit-rh faire getraut fitta JOSEPH FUNKHOUS-ER, OF ROOKINGHAM COUNTY, VIRGINIA.

Letters Patent No. 82,702, dated October 6, 1868.

IMPROVED ABDOMINAL SUPPORIER.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH FUNKHOUSER, of the county of Rockingham, in the State Virginia, have invented a new and improved Abdominal Supporter for the relief and thorough cure of the disease known as Prolapsus laterz', or falling of the womb; and I do hereby dec-lare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my iuvention'consists in providing an iron padded brace, whichis'placed in a semi-oval sack,

v which is itted to the lower part ofthe abdomen, which is retained in its place by four bands, which connect at the back of the patient, and act as a support there. The padded brace being formed to lit easily, and without chaing, the lower part of the stomach, gradually but surely forces the uterus or womb to its proper position, and retains it there.

To enable others skilled in the artto make anduse my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

I construct my brace or iron support, marked A A A I3, out of iron or other metal, as follows: The back of it live-eighths of an inch in width, and live and three-quarter inches long. The ends ofthe back at C C are prolonged, almost at right angles with the back, but slightly curving, four inches, forming the outer arms C A A C of the brace, and an arm is also placed at the centre of the back A B, the same width and 4length of thearms A'C, the dat surface of the whole brace being slightly curved, so as to t easily and tightly the lower part of the abdomen. l The brace is padded with cotton or other material, a half inch thick, or less, and covered with linen or other material. The upper end of the extreme arms A O A- C are six and seven-eighth inches apart.

II then ,construct a sack, E, with a lip to it7 an inch and three-quarters wide, and place in it the padded brace or support, with its back against the lipped side ofthe sack. I extend fromthe lip of the sack, at each side, a band, to pass round the body of the patient, and buckle or fasten at the back. The bands are two inches in width, more or less. At the lower end of the sack, at each'side,I attach a buckle.V I connect these buckles, by bauds, with the upper hands running from the lip of the sack, the point at which the upper and lower bands are connected depending on the size of the patient, which, however, may be met by placing several buttons on each ofthe upper bands, to which the lower bands may be attached, according to comfort. The sack and bands may be made of cotton or o ther material.

The lower bands ofthe sack will draw the lower part ofthe supporter close in above the pelvis, and, if the patient is not pregnant, the lips of the sack lie down over the mouth of the sack.' If the patient be pregnant, the lip is thrown np, as the abdomen enlarges, forming a most comfortable support. The upper bands support the back.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The iron padded brace or support A B O, the sack E, the bands, and the manner of attaching the same, substantially and for the purposes above described, u sing therefor the metal and material aforesaid, or any other substantially the same.

JOSEPH FYUNKHOUSER.

Witnesses:

J. E. ROLLER, CHAnLEs E.'I:IAAs. 

